Pinch valve mechanism



Nov. 17, 1953 -v w, FARms 2,659,387

PINCH VALVE MECHANISM Filed Feb. s, l195o zvsheeis-sheet 1 @YM LM HTTOR/VE Y NOV. 17, 1953 .V, w, FARRls 2,659,387

PINCH VALVE MECHANISM Filed Feb. 8, 1950 Z'Sheets-Sheet 2 /f 52 f nrramvfy Patented Nov. 17, 1953 r UNITED STATES .iBATElNT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to valves, and more particularly to that type of valve known as a pinch valve and comprising, in general, a flexible conduit, and means for pinching the walls of said conduit to control the iiow of iiuids therethrough.

While not limited thereto, it is preferred that the Valve of the present invention be iiuid actuated, and it is the object of the present invention to provide a valve of the general character indicated which is simple in construction, easy and economical to fabricate and assemble, and eiiicient and positive in its action.

These, and other objects and advantages of the present invention, which will become more apparent as the detailed description progresses, are attained in the following manner.

In its broadest aspect, the present invention provides a flexible conduit, or, more specifically, a flexible conduit section adapted to be inserted in the line through which the liow of fluid is to be controlled, which flexible conduit has in contact therewith, at diametrically opposed points, a pair of jaw members. These jaw members are connected to each other by linkage systems which are pivotally mounted in such a manner that when a force is applied to one of the jaw meinbers, said force is also transmitted to the other jaw member, whereby both jaw members are moved toward each other simultaneously. This pinches the flexible conduit mounted therebetween to control the flow of fluid through said flexible conduit. The force applied, as above stated, to one of the jaw members is transmitted to said jaw member by a diaphragm-actuated plunger, the diaphragm, in turn, being operated upon by a fluid, such as air, a source of which is connected to a housing in which the diaphragm is mounted for reciprocation.

In the accompanying specication there shall be described and in the annexed drawings shown an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. It is, however, to be clearly understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the exact details herein shown and described for purposes of illustration only inasmuch as changes therein may .be made without the exercise of invention and within the true spirit and scope of the claims hereto appended.

ln said drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevational View of a pinch valve y made in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a partial side elevational, partial lon gitudinal sectional View taken at right angles to Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the connection of the device to a source of actuating iiuid.

Referring now more in detail to the aforesaid illustrative embodiment of the present invention, with particular reference to the drawings illustrating the same, the numerals it and H designate, respectively, the upper and lower portions of a housing, said portions being provided with 4peripheral :flanges I2 secured to each other by a plurality of bolts i3. Mounted in the housing, between the nanges l2, is a Iiexble diaphragm i4 provided on its upper and lower surfaces with rigid discs l5 and i6, the diaphragm and discs being supported at the center on a plunger I1. The plunger is mounted for reciprocation in the housing as by being slidable in a bearing I8, carried by a dome i9 formed on the housing portion lli, and a second bearing 2li, carried in the lower wall 2i of the housing portion Il. The plunger extends exteriorly of the housing I-ll through a packing 22 in the bearing 2d.

The exterior end of the plunger Il is pinned, as at in a recess formed in an inverted, substantially T-shaped jaw member 2li, which jaw member is in contact with a nexible conduit section E5 inserted in a line 25 through which it is desired to control the ow of iiuid. A second jaw member, which may be in the form of a cylindrical bar 2l, also contacts the conduit section 25, at a point diametrically opposed to the point of contact between the jaw member 24 and said conduit section, the arrangement being such that simultaneous movement of the jaw members pinches the conduit section to close the valve.

The mechanism for bringing .about this simultaneous movement of the jaw members shall now be described.

At diametrically opposed points the lower housing portion il is provided with pairs of ribs 28 and 29, each pair of ribs carrying, respectively, a pintle 3l) and 3l. Suspended from the pintles tu and 3| are pairs of links 32 and 33, the free vends of said links, in turn, carrying pintles 34 and. 35.

Pivotally mounted on the pintles 34 and 3'5 are pairs of levers 3S and 31, the inner ends of the levers 3S being pivotally connected, as at 38, to the jaw member 2d, and the inner ends of the levers il being similarly connected, `as at 39, to said jaw member.

rihe outer ends of the levers t5 carry a pintle on which is rotatably mounted a pair of links lil the lower ends of which are pivotally connected, as at 42, to one end of the jaw member 2l', and the outer ends of the levers '3l carry a pintle d3 on which is rotatably mounted a pair of links 44 the lower ends of which are pivotally access? 3 connected, as at 45, to the other end of the jaw member 21.

Now, when a force is applied to the plunger l1, the jaw member 24 moves downwardly. At the same time, the levers 36 and 31 are, by reason of their connections to the jaw member, rocked about the pivots 34 and 35. This pulls the links 4| and 44, and the jaw member 21 carried thereby, upwardly, thus pinching the conduit section 25 between the jaw members 24 and 21.

In order to apply force to the plunger I1, the upper housing portion I is provided with a iluid port 46 which is connected by a branch pipe 41 to a main pipe 48, in turn, connected to a source of actuating iluid such as air. The lower housing portion Ii is provided with a fluid port 49 which is connected by a branch pipe 50 to the main pipe 40. The branch pipes 41 and 50 are provided with 3-wa-y valves 5I and 52, which valves are displaced 90 with respect to each other and are ganged for simultaneous operation. vThe valves are also connected to the atmosphere through a T-connection 53.

The valve arrangement, shown in Fig. 3, is such that when nuid from the pipe 48 is entering the housing i0--Ii above the diaphragm |4-|5-i6, through the valve i, iiuid beneath the diaphragm i4-I5-i6 passes out of the housing |0-il to the atmosphere through the valve 52. This operation closes the `conduit section 25. Rotation oi the valves 5i and 52 through 90, reverses the fluid now to and from the housing iii- H and opens the conduit section 25.

Where the pressure Voi Ythe uid flowing through the conduit section is sufiiciently high to itself force the jaw members 24 and 21 open, the port 49 in the lower housing portion H need not be connected to the `actuating fluid source but may communicate Vdirectly with the atmosphere.

This completes the description oi the aforesaid illustrative embodiment of the present invention. It will be noted from all of the Vforegoing that the pinch `valve of the present invention is simple in construction, easy and economical to fabricate and assemble, and admirably adapted to perform its intended functions.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art to which the Ysame relates.

What is claimed is:

Ll. A pinch valve comprising: a flexible conduit; a pair of jaw .members engaging said conduit at diametrically opposed points; a pair of linkage systems disposed on .opposite sides of of said jaw members, whereby said jaw members are simultaneously moved in opposite directions.

`2. A pinch valve comprising: a fluid-receiving housing.' .a plunger mounted for reciprocation in said housing; a flexible conduit; a pair of Jaw .members said conduit at diametrically opposed points; one of said jaw members being connected to said plunger; and a pair of linkage systems disposed on opposite sides of said con- -duit and connecting said jaw members; each of said linkage systems including a lever and a link pivotally connected to each other and, atthe Vtree -ends thereof, directly to said jaw members on opposite sides oi' said conduit, with the lever of each of said linkage systems pivotally supported from said housing at a iixed point intermediate the connections thereof to the adjacent lini: and the adjacent jaw member; said linkage systems transmitting the reciprocatory motion applied by said plunger to said one of said jaw members to the other of said jaw members, whereby said jaw members are simultaneously moved 'in opposite directions.

VICTOR WALLACE FARRIS.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 210,334 Kinsman Nov. 26. 1378 579,501 Smith Mar. 23. 1897 726,962 Metzger May 5, 1933 887,103 Lane Mey l2. 1908 1,809,091 Wiken June 9. 193i 1,954,920 Damerell Apr. 17, 1934 2,183,835 Foulke Dec. 19. 1939 2,371,434 Eppler Mar. 13, 1945 2,418,821 Coghil1.. Apr. 15, 1947 1,757,548 Schissler May 6, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number VCountry Date 873,587 France 011942 254,906 Switzerland of 1949 

